The 2026 Policy Address, delivered this morning by Chief Executive John Lee, includes extensive measures to support youth employment and the elderly, and to promote fertility.
Among other policies, Mr Lee announced the launch of a youth employment scheme, increased newborn baby bonuses, and an expansion of voucher schemes for the elderly.
The two-year “30,000 Youth Employment & Internship Programme” is designed to facilitate youth employment and development, especially among those with limited or no work experience. The Government will mobilise the business sector, including major employer and trade associations, to provide an additional 10,000 full‑time jobs lasting six months or more within a two‑year period starting from the first quarter of next year. The jobs will be open to young people newly entering the workforce, with the Government providing a portion of the wages.
In addition, the Home & Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) will launch an International Young Talent Exchange Base before the end of the year. The base will offer a new HYAB-United Nations Youth Leaders Internship Programme, providing internship placements at various United Nations agencies.
Eleven measures in total were outlined to promote fertility in Hong Kong.
These include an extension of the $20,000 newborn baby bonus for another three years, and an increase in bonuses for a second or subsequent child from $20,000 to $30,000, with the increase taking effect immediately for children born today or later. The relevant tax allowance for a second or subsequent child will increase from $140,000 to $160,000, with this rate being effective for two years following childbirth.
In addition, eligible families purchasing a residential property within the period of one year preceding or two years following the birth of a child will be granted a stamp duty waiver of up to $20,000. The maximum mortgage loan-to-value ratio for White Form family applicants with newborns will be raised to 95% starting from the next Home Ownership Scheme sales exercise.
Moreover, the Hospital Authority will increase the provision of in-vitro fertilisation treatment in phases over the next three years to 1,900 treatment cycles per year, and the Primary Healthcare Commission will gradually extend its free pre-pregnancy, antenatal and postnatal classes to all District Health Centres (DHCs) and DHC Expresses. The Family Planning Association of Hong Kong will launch a publicity campaign this year to promote healthy fertility.
Other measures include setting up three more aided standalone child care centres, which are expected to provide around 1,800 additional day care places for children under the age of three by the end of 2030. The School-based After School Care Service Scheme will be regularised starting from the 2027-28 school year, and professional support for the After School Care Programme for Pre-primary Children will be strengthened.
With regard to Hong Kong’s elderly population, the Government will strive to foster a sense of security and worth among senior residents, in adherence with the principle of promoting “ageing in place as the core, with institutional care as back-up”.
The number of Community Care Service Vouchers for the Elderly will be increased by 2,000 to 18,000 in the 2027-28 financial year, while the number of Residential Care Service Vouchers for the Elderly will rise by 1,000 to 8,000.
Five new subsidised day care facilities, providing about 200 services places, and five new Neighbourhood Elderly Centres, expected to serve about 5,000 persons each year, will be set up. Three new residential care homes for the elderly will also be set up, providing about 400 places.
A sum of $100 million will be earmarked for the launch of the Gerontechnology Promotion Scheme, which will support local technology enterprises in developing elderly-care products and solution. In addition, a mobile version of the JoyYou Card will be launched before the end of this year, bringing added convenience to elderly users.
View Chapter VII of the Chief Executive’s Policy Address for more details.
